Stellina Pizzeria Opens New Pasta Vending Machine and Shirlington Shop
ALEXANDRIA, VA–Antonio Matarazzo, co-owner of Stellina Pizzeria in D.C., has a couple new concepts for residents of Virginia: a pasta vending machine and a secondary location.
What is a pasta vending machine?
Fully stocked with fresh pasta made in-house daily, the Stellina vending machine is a restaurant in a box. Inside, customers will find:
- DIY pasta kits
- 3 types of individual pastas
- 3 types of individual sauces
- Salami
- Cannoli kits
- and Stellina merchandise, such as hats, shirts, and blankets.
The machine is open from 10:30am to 9pm on weekends, and 10:30am to 8pm on weekdays. It resides regally inside Stellina Pizzeria’s up-and-coming location at The Village at Shirlington.
What you need to know about Stellina 2.0.
This new location is scheduled to open Friday, February 12, 2021. That’s right, 2021! Under two weeks from now. When the new Stellina opens, the vending machine will operate under store hours.
In addition to a machine that dispenses pasta upon request, the Shirlington Stellina will also house a marketplace. Here you can buy their beautiful, homemade pasta and sauces, imported meats and cheeses, frozen pizzas and pastas and eggplant parmesan, olive oil, and coffee!
Matarazzo, says, “This has been a tough time for restaurants, obviously, and a second location was not really in our plans, but of course the pandemic changed some plans. We found a space we liked and decided, ‘Why not? Let’s do it!’ So we did.”
Why Shirlington?
Matarazzo is originally from Avellino, Italy. When he came to the U.S. he bought his first house in Fairlington, Virginia. With much of his friends and family now in the Fairlington, Arlington, Shirlington area, the opportunity for this second location was serendipitous.
The original location has already seen an increase in patronage since the vending machine opened four days ago, and the vending machine itself has received many visitors and much praise. As well, Stellina’s second location will be a lifeline for employees, and an inspiration for friends and family.
Matarazzo will move the vending machine to the D.C. location in the spring, with plans for acquiring more vending machines in the future. You will eventually be able to find them in buildings, offices, and communal areas throughout D.C. and Virginia.
Stellina, meaning ‘little star’ in Italian, was a name inspired by Matarazzo’s daughter Stella. “We were trying to find a name that was emotional for me and my partner, but was also easy to pronounce.” Stellina also carries a message. The co-owners embrace five themes of life:: Italy, Pizza, Style, Food, and Love; and a star has five points. Thus, Stellina Pizzera was born.
Stellina Pizzeria opened in D.C. in 2019. Considering that the challenges of Coronavirus began that same year, Stellina’s vending machine and Shirlington location are big moves making even bigger news.
For Matarazzo, “We were able to evolve ourselves in this pandemic. We just started to create things and we are very proud of it.”
Stellina Pizzeria. 2800 S. Randolph St., NW. Arlington, VA 22206
